Admiral Nakhimov, a russian Project 1144 nuclear-powered missile cruiser, has spent more than 25 years under modernization while funds for the project were reportedly squandered. However, that may be about to change, as the ship is nearing a return to active service.
Analyst Thord Are Iversen, based on satellite imagery, noted that last week the ship was moved to a decommissioning berth at the Sevmash shipbuilding enterprise. As of May 21, the carrier was still there, although it had already been turned to face the opposite direction. According to the analyst, as this is the first movement this year, it may indicate preparations for further sea trials.
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From Defense Express we would like to note that such actions are likely to see Admiral Nakhimov set sail. Specifically, degaussing is currently underway at the decommissioning berth—a process that ships must undergo as part of routine maintenance, prior to deployment, or following repairs or modernization.
In other words, it appears that russians are preparing to continue testing their cruiser. The russian federation announced the completion of the previous phase in September 2025, and the ship was spotted at sea a month earlier.
It appears that russia may complete the more than 25-year-long modernization of the Admiral Nakhimov and commission it into service. However, it is difficult to speculate on a timeline at this point, as no details regarding the project's implementation are available. It is possible that, even at this "advanced" stage, the project could still be delayed for years.
This increase in russian activity is no coincidence, as its only active nuclear-powered cruiser, Pyotr Velikiy (part of Project 1144) is in poor condition and in need of a major overhaul. Moreover, there have been discussions about simply decommissioning it, meaning a replacement is needed.
The Admiral Nakhimov is a logical choice as a successor, as it has spent more time in dry dock than in active service and is therefore less worn. It is also scheduled to undergo modernization, which includes replacing 20 old P-700 Granit anti-ship missiles with 80 universal 3S-14 launchers capable of firing Kalibr, Oniks, and Zircon missiles.
Despite the ship's planned formidable arsenal, questions remain about the practical value of a single nuclear cruiser on the battlefield. In particular, this makes it a highly attractive target, likely to draw concentrated firepower. However, this likely does not concern russians much, as they primarily need a powerful ship for parades and to maintain prestige.
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